2 NDA allies among 8 new names for Opposition bloc meet in Bengaluru

With two former National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members—the Tamil Nadu-based Kongu Desa Makkal Katch (KDMK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)—confirming attendance at the Congress-convened opposition meeting in Bengaluru on 17–18 July, sources say a total of 24 political parties will be present.

This is the second in a series of Opposition party powwows, after the first in Patna on 23 June, hosted by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United).

This time, the host is the Karnataka ruling party and the principal Opposition party at the Centre, the Indian National Congress.

Leaders from the 24 political parties will attend the two-day brainstorming sessions to chalk out a strategy to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, a source has said.

UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also attend the meeting, Karnataka deputy chief minister and state Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar said on Monday, July 10. This will be the first time that Sonia Gandhi will be present in any meeting of the opposition block.

Using ancient cultural connections between Kashi and Kanyakumari and projecting Lord Shiva as a Hindutva tool, the BJP is pushing hard to make inroads into Tamil Nadu. This makes the presence of the KDMK and the MDMK members especially significant, particularly as they were former NDA allies.

Apart from the KDMK and the MDMK, six more political parties who were not at Patna are expected to join the Opposition bloc in Bengaluru to combat the BJP, said sources. These are the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), the All India Forward Bloc, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Kerala Congress (Mani).

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has shot off a letter to top Opposition party leaders, highlighting the success of the Patna meet.

"The meeting was a great success as we were able to discuss various important issues that threaten our democratic polity and came to a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next general elections," Kharge said in his invitation letter.

"In furtherance thereof, I request you to kindly make it convenient to attend the meeting followed by dinner on July 17 at 6.00 pm in Bengaluru. The meeting will continue on July 18, 2023, from 11.00 am onwards. Looking forward to meeting you in Bengaluru," the letter said.

It is hoped that all parties present at the Patna meet will also attend the Bengaluru meetings.